Apple Berry Crisp with Cardamom Hazelnut Topping

*Indicates ingredients that are grown or produced locally

Makes 12 Servings (Easily halved for a smaller crowd!)

*1 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Emmer flour ( from Bluebird Grain Farms)

½ Cup plus 3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

½ Teaspoon ground cardamom (or use cinnamon)

½ Teaspoon sea salt

*1 ½ sticks Butter (3/4 Cup), cut into about 12 pieces

*½ Cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped

*3 Cups apples, core removed, chopped into 1 inch pieces (about 3 apples)

*3 Cups blueberries, or other berry (1 ½ - 2 pints) fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine 1 Cup of flour, ½ Cup brown sugar, cardamom and sea salt, and mix together with a fork.  Add the butter pieces and use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter, until the butter pieces are the size of peas (you can also use your hands to do this).  Mix in the hazelnuts and set aside while you make the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, berries, 1 TB flour and 3 TB brown sugar.  Pour this filling into a 9x13 or similar size baking pan and crumble the topping evenly over the filling.  Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is hot and bubbling.  Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or crème fraiche.

Apple Pie with Whole Wheat Crust

*Indicates items grown or produced locally

Makes 8 Servings

Crust

*2 Cups Soft White whole wheat or Hard Red whole wheat flour (Bluebird Grain Farms)

¾ Teaspoon sea salt

2 Teaspoons sugar

*1 Cup cold unsalted butter or non-hydrogenated shortening

½ Cup cold water

*1 egg, beaten

Filling

*6 Cups apples, peeled, core removed, cut into 1 inch chunks (About 5 large apples)

½ Cup sugar

½ Teaspoon cinnamon or your favorite spice mix (I like a sweet garam masala)

*2 Tablespoons flour

*1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ Teaspoon sea salt

*2 Tablespoons butter

For the pastry: in a large bowl, use a fork to mix the whole wheat flour with the salt and sugar.  Cut the butter into about 16 pieces and add it to the flour.  Use a pastry cutter (or a fork & knife) to cut the butter into the flour, until butter pieces are the size of small peas.  Drizzle in the cold water and mix together with a fork until the dough starts to come together.  Use your hands to finish combining the dough, drizzling in water a teaspoon at a time if needed until all dry ingredients are incorporated.  Form dough into 2 equal sized balls, flatten each into a thick disc, wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

For the filling, toss the apples in a large bowl with the sugar, spices, flour, cider vinegar and salt.  Let sit at room temperature while you roll out the dough.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Remove dough from the refrigerator (if it has been in the refrigerator more than 1 hour, do this 20 minutes before working with the dough).  Working with one disc at a time, place on a lightly floured surface, and sprinkle the dough with flour.  Use a rolling pin to roll dough into a large circle, working from the middle of the dough to the edge.  Rotate the dough as you go, and add flour to the surface as needed to prevent sticking.  Roll the dough to 1/16^th inch thick.  Fold the bottom crust over the rolling pin and set it into a 9” pie plate.  Gently nudge the dough into the corners of the pie plate. 

Pour the apple filling over the bottom crust.  Cut the 2 TB of butter into about 8 pieces and scatter over the filling.  Place the second rolled piece of dough over the filling.  Use a sharp knife to trim the excess dough, so that about ½ inch of dough is still hanging over the side of the pie plate.  Use your fingers to crimp the pieces of dough together all the way around the pie.  Cut 3 or 4 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.  Use a pastry brush to brush beaten egg over the top crust.  Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 40 minutes, until the top crust is golden.

Recipes from Alicia Larson, MPH, RD, CD  http://homegrownnutrition.com  206-459-9378